


Not by the moon

by Baileafy



Series: Think sweet things about love [3]
Category: GOT7, Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff, Happy Ending, Jaebum is a spirit, M/M, Yugyeom is Jinyoung's brother and so is chan, many song references, read cipher's fic its way better, slightly OOC, warlord au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:49:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28929057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baileafy/pseuds/Baileafy
Summary: Jinyoung is sick of being caged by his status as a prince, and all he craves is freedom. When he discovers there is a Spirit roaming his land, he seeks them out in hopes to achieve that freedom. He gets more than he bargained, for the better.---------------------A piece part of "say nothing sweet about love (it's out of our hands)" by strayshinned. Set before that story takes place!
Relationships: Im Jaebum | JB/Park Jinyoung
Series: Think sweet things about love [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2115318
Comments: 15
Kudos: 59





	Not by the moon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> This work is set prior to the start of "say nothing sweet about love (it's out of our hands)" by strayshinned, But can be read as a stand-alone!
> 
> Sorry this isn't betaed!

Jinyoung is the definition of the perfect leader. He is kind and polite, proper with his manners and speeches. Carrying himself with such grace, moving like he floats across the ground rather than walk. His beauty is well known, his smile disarming the hearts of all those who see it. And to top it all off, he was intelligent, a thinker often found lost in whatever book he dug from the library. He is beloved by his people, admired by thousands. So much he was already called a prince before he was asked to step forward for the choosing ceremony.

And Jinyoung hates it. Hates every moment he places that false smile on his face, every second he has to listen to meaningless conversations that beat around the bush. Hates every tailor-fit outfit forced onto him when he already has many so similar. Hates how many valued only how he looked, he felt more like a doll than a person. He hates being forced into pointless conflict where every word he says is to be ignored. He hates being beloved for something he wasn’t. So many had never even tried to approach him. He was just something to be stared at. He felt caged, partly by an image he created. 

Jinyoung was raised to be an excellent actor, all royalty should be. Yet as years go on, and continues this act of perfection never ends, he feels like a stranger even to himself. He has few comforts to keep himself grounded.

“Jinyoung! Don’t be naked, I’m busting in!” Ah, there is one of them.

The prince looks around his bedroom, spying for an opportunity. His private chambers were a mess, books littered and dog-eared across nearly every surface. His clothes were piled in a bucket, shoved into a corner. A plate of a few apples he had been snacking on was on the desk, next to half-written scrolls and an inkpot. He looks to the untouched bed, only registering now how he hadn’t slept.

Jinyoung takes a quick step behind a curtain just as his brother enters. Yugyeom’s big grin fades, and turns around in circles from where he stood, looking like the idiot he is. His brother is as thick-headed as ever. Yugyeom takes a few steps around, looking for any signs of where the eldest may have gone off to. Jinyoung lies in wait for him to get closer, and at the perfect moment, he flipped the curtain into Yugyeom’s face, blinding the younger. He moves around and grabs his brother into a headlock, throwing both of them onto the bed. Yugyeom thrashes around before going limp, and Jinyoung lets him go.

“And that is why I keep telling you to get proper training as a warrior. To prevent your slow ass from getting assassinated when you’re king.” Jinyoung huffs as he pushes Yugyeom onto the floor. His brother lets out a whine, sitting up with a pout. He pulls one of the books out from under him, scanning the words written and sighing.

“Are you really going through with this? What if you die? Are you sure you don’t want to at least try the ceremony—“ Jinyoung cuts him off with an unimpressed look, gesturing for him to stop talking. 

“Yugyeom. Can you see me being happy as the king of Miroh?”

His brother's face falls, and he shakes his head no slowly. He reaches forward to hold onto Jinyoung’s hand, watching their fingers curl around each other.

“I don’t want to lose you—”

“Chan can take care of you if things go wrong.”

“But who will take care of Chan? It’s always been the three of us, you know he listens to you the best. You’re the one that took him in after—“

“He listens to me because he isn’t a brat like you.” Jinyoung pinches Yugyeom’s nose playfully. “Stop being so pessimistic, it isn’t like you. I’ll be fine, I won’t leave you, especially as a spirit. I’ll travel into the unknown just to make sure you aren’t by yourself.”

“But if the spirit kills you—“

“Yugyeom.”

“You gotta stop cutting me off before I finish talking, seriously I don’t get how people think you're this sweet polite Prince Charming sorta guy.”

“ I show all my colours to you, you should be grateful.”

“ I, for one, am grateful to have Jinyoung be the way he is. I won’t lie, it keeps you in check Yugyeom.”

“Chan!”

Chan smiled warmly from the doorway, Victory at his heels as they both walked in. The warrior picked up books off the floor as he did, placing them on the desk. He read one of the scrolls Jinyoung was writing on and snorted.

“I thought I banned you from my room when Victory pissed on my books,” Jinyoung said with a blank stare, petting the wolf’s head.

“That was years ago! And she was a puppy! You say that every time we come in here.”

“I forgive but I never forget.”

“Maybe your future spirit lover can warm that icy heart of yours.” Yugyeom playfully jabbed at him.

Jinyoung rolled his eyes. “I’ll use my gift on both of you right now.”

The two groaned, Yugyeom whining as he snuggled his face against Jinyoung’s legs, Chan pouting at him with big brown eyes. Jinyoung doesn’t use his Lullaby gift often, save for the two in front of him. He often sang Chan to sleep, and Jinyoung would hold his youngest brother close as they shared a bed. He had trouble sleeping, and for the longest time, Jinyoung’s methods were the only way for him to get a restful sleep. As for Yugyeom, he was hyperactive and a troublemaker, and at night there was no one to watch him. The only way to talk him into entering a bed at all was if both Chan and Jinyoung were in it as well. And because Chan needed Jinyoung’s gift in order to sleep, it would lead to the bonus of Yugyeom falling asleep as well. Needless to say, Jinyoung rarely had a night to himself, and over the years, he hasn’t shied away from using his gift as a threat to the youngsters.

“ Have you found anything about that spirit yet?” Chan asks as he joins Jinyoung on the bed.

Jinyoung sighs heavily, absentmindedly reaching up to pet the younger’s hair. “ Yes. I know what kind of spirit it is.”

“Oh? So what kind?”

“Water spirit. I think? They caused those floods last year.”

“Oh yeah, the ones that caused the cancellation of that huge party you hated.”

“And trapped you in that orphanage you visited for three days, so you got to spend more time with kids and away from the palace.”

“Not to mention how most of those floods had a whole bunch of flowers wash up under your balcony.”

Jinyoung can feel his ears turning red. It always ended up like this, the two insinuating that he has always had this spirit admirer. It was a secret between the three of them, that the rains and floods seemed to happen when Jinyoung most needed them. Or how no flood left damage too severe on the lands. How the water was always just warm enough for him when he snuck out to swim in the rivers and creeks. Water was always gentle to him, and overtime that extended to those he cared about. He can recall the time Chan and Yugyeom came barreling into his room soaking wet, raving about how warm the pond water was during winter. Jinyoung never asked how they ended up in the icy pond in winter, he could feel how terrible a headache it would leave him with.

“You two need to stop joking about that. If it was a spirit doing that, they would have shown themselves by now.”

Yugyeom shugs with a shitty grin. “Maybe they’re shy?”

“Oh, of course, a shy water spirit. The most temperamental type of spirit. Shy. How stupid of me to not consider.” Jinyoung stares lifelessly at Yugyeom, pouring every bit of sarcasm into each word. 

“ So, when are you going to hunt down the spirit?” Chan asked, glancing at the half-packed bag in the corner of the room. Yugyeom hadn’t noticed it, but Chan was always more perceptive. The two would lead Miroh much better than Jinyoung ever felt he could.

“Do you even know  _ where  _ they are?” 

“Yes, actually. That’s why I'm packing.”

His brothers looked at him in shock, Chan's eyebrows raised high, and Yugyeom’s mouth hung open. Jinyoung went and swiped a scroll from the desk, opening it and showing the two.

“He’s in the mountains here. Judging from unnatural currents and rain clouds.”

“You’re far too smart than you have any right to be.” Chan mumbles quietly, tracing the arrows on the chart. Jinyoung huffs in pride, before spotting Yugyeom’s forlorn face. 

“You’re leaving so close to the choosing ceremony?” 

Ah, dammit. Jinyoung was an idiot for not telling his brothers the details earlier. He kneels down and puts his hand on Yugyeom’s knee.

“I’ll be there. I’m going to watch you succeed, and I’ll hug you tight right after. And when I come back a spirit, I’ll give you the wildest celebration. And no one could say anything against it. Except for Chan, because he’s our brother, he needs his beauty sleep.”

“Does he ever.” Yugyeom snorted, getting a playfully shove from Chan. 

“You aren’t much better than me.”

“girls, girls, you’re both pretty.” Jinyoung chastises playfully. “Now. Bedtime, so you can stay so pretty.”

He stands up, and without warning throws his full weight on them. Pulling them both into a hug while crushing them with his weight. Victory joins him in his efforts, tail wagging and licking at Chan’s smiling face, and Yugyeom's pained one. Jinyoung hopes that this won’t be the last time they all shared a bed.

There’s the gentle patter of rain from outside, and it helps soothe the unease Jinyoung holds in his chest.

* * *

Jinyoung steals himself to not turn around and look at his brothers as he rides off. Yugyeom passed his trial, just like Jinyoung swore he would. And he kept his word of hugging him tightly. Now he just needed to finish the rest of what he had promised: coming back home to celebrate. He could feel both of his brother’s stares on his back as he disappeared into the dense woods alone. Once he knows he won’t be seen, he peeks back. Changbin and Minho are comforting his brothers, and it helps knowing he won’t be leaving them alone. He mentally thanks the two warriors, and prays nothing goes wrong during his absence. 

Jinyoung surges forward, half following his chart and half following his gut. Eyes locked ahead of him, because he knows. He knows they’re there. They had to be there. 

Hours are passing, and It’s dark already, but he barely notes it. He feels his legs ache, and his eyes grow heavy, but he doesn't feel tired. Not with the moonlight guiding his way in the breathtaking beauty of the forest at night. He’s nearing the mountains, the terrain growing steeper and steeper. The air is denser, the trees thin out. Distantly he hears it, faint but it’s the only thing he can suddenly focus on.

Water.

He doesn’t know what it is about the sound that causes him to suddenly burst into a sprint, but suddenly he feels on fire. His heart is in his ears as he nearly trips over himself to get closer. No matter how heavy his feet get, he nearly throws himself forward to spite it.

Until he crashes through the bushes into the open water, barely managing to avoid falling face first. He looks up and down the creek and sees the edge of a waterfall, and he knows that’s it. In hindsight, it was a moronic move to go towards the edge of a waterfall at night alone in a forest, but the water was gently pushing him forward like it knew as well that what he was looking for was there.

He slowly moves closer, stepping onto a rock jutting out from the edge of the waterfall. He looks down to see a man staring up at him in bewilderment.

No, not a man… A spirit.

The spirit is frozen for a moment, waist submerged in the pool of water. Slowly he raises his hand and water surrounds the spirit, lifting him up. Jinyoung shuffles back, stunned and tongue-tied in a way he never had been before. He was breathtaking, a handsome face framed by long dark blue hair and sharp eyes focused so intensely on Jinyoung.

“You…” the spirit breathes, eyes wide, pupils were blown so large that Jinyoung could barely make out their blue colour. 

Jinyoung suddenly felt pulled back to earth as he breathes in the misty air. He narrows his eyes trying to hold himself strong. He can’t let himself appear weak now.

“You know me.” He states. The spirit nodded mutely like he was barely listening, only staring at Jinyoung.

“You’ve known me for a long time” Jinyoung tries again. “For 5 years. Since I was 20.”

The spirit blinks, before shaking his head. His voice was soothing, like gently rolling waves. “No, longer... Since you were 15.”

“Since…” Jinyoung trailed off, shocked. How did he not notice? That was nearly 10 years.

“I’ll explain when we move to a safe area. It’s the least I owe, seeing you actually came out all this way to find me.” The spirit held out his hand, which Jinyoung numbly took. Noting how well their hands fit against each other before he was pulled close to the spirit’s bare chest. Something Jinyoung hadn’t even noticed before, now having his attention nearly entirely on that fact as they were moved down into the pool of water. Jinyoung realizes he’s soaked now but finds it doesn’t bother him. 

“Your name” Jinyoung barely registers that he spoke, until the spirit gives him a confused expression. “You didn’t give me your name.”

“Oh… It’s Jaebum.” 

“Jaebummie...” Jinyoung says mindlessly and watches as the spirit’s face begins to colour red. 

“I’m older than you.” Jaebum fumbles out, and Jinyoung can’t hold back his laugh, eyes crinkling up and a hand coming up to cover his mouth.

“Really, that’s what you say? Not that you’re a spirit that could kill me?”

“I could never kill you, Nyeongie..”

Jinyoung only heard that nickname once before. 

“...You’re the boy at the festival. Years go— When I was a teenager— We danced and you— How!?“

“We were 15. You ran away to the very edge festival, and it was raining a bit, so no one else was around you. And you were alone dancing, remember?”

“Yeah… until a boy my age came up to me and asked if I wanted a partner...that was 10 years ago...holy shit…” Jinyoung could barely believe it.

Jaebum smiled, bringing his hand up to brush against Jinyoung’s cheek, and Jinyoung leaned into the touch. “You remembered.”

“I never forgot…” It was one of the best days of his life. 

Their eyes stayed locked onto each other, and Jinyoung couldn’t understand why he felt so complete at that moment. 

“You wanted something from me?” Jaebum asked, pulling away for a moment. 

“You know what it is, right? You always seem to know what I need.”

The spirit sighed heavily. “I’m not turning you into a spirit Nyeongie.”

Jinyoung blinks, before grabbing onto Jaebum before he could move further away. “No, You're Not escaping me that quickly. Not without an explanation, you yourself said you owed it to me. Why can’t you turn me?”

Jaebum’s eyes darkened, he refused to look at Jinyoung. “I can’t risk it. Not for your family. Not for you. Not for myself.”

“But why, that isn't a real explanation!”

“Because you could be devoured by me, Jinyoung!”

There was a heavy silence between them, but Jinyoung refused to let go. Jaebum took this as a sign to continue.

“Do you know why spirits have favourites? It’s because we see someone we want so badly, we will stop at nothing to have them. A favourite’s soul shines, and part of us… want to consume it, we want it to be ours— and there's only two ways of doing that. It’s… it’s like a ritual. And the two outcomes are either… the favourite being turned into a spirit. A piece of the spirit’s soul goes into the favourite’s, and that sparks the transformation. But if that piece overwhelms the original soul… if the soul is too weak or damaged... it… it gets consumed. We can absorb them into us, and we feel them with us, but it isn’t the same. You can’t speak with them. Or hold them. Or dance, or anything, Jinyoung. It’s lonely.”

Jinyoung feels his heart beating in his throat. He eased his grip and moved his hand up to the back of Jaebum’s head, making the spirit look at him.

“Aren’t you already lonely?”

Jaebum’s face looks heartbroken for a moment. “You can’t keep doing this every time we speak,” he says weakly.

“ Doing what?”

“Understanding me with barely any words. Like you know everything I know about you.”

Jinyoung smiles softly at him. “Maybe that’s a sign.” His other hand reaches and holds the spirit's hand, giving a gentle squeeze. “That we should take.”

Jaebum looks at Jinyoung so tenderly before pressing his forehead against the human’s. 

“I’ll make you a deal, Nyeongie. Give us time to prepare for the ritual, and in the meantime, I’ll give you this.”

Jinyoung felt the spirit place a kiss on his forehead, and he felt a surge of water coursing through him. Jaebum smiles at him as he explains. 

“I gave you the gift of Call my name. Anyone you call for will come to you.”

Jinyoung feels hope rise in his chest, and his hold on Jaebum tightens “Does that go for you as well?” 

The spirit brushes his thumbs over Jinyoung’s cheeks, and the human’s eyes flutter closed in response. Every touch felt like a wave of comfort and adoration coming from the spirit, in a way that Jinyoung for the first time, doesn’t mind.

“My name would lose meaning without you calling it.”

Jinyoung felt his heart flutter in ways it hadn’t before in his life. 

“Swear to me that you won’t disappear.”

“I’ll swear by the moon.”

Jinyoung shook his head, suddenly feeling a desperation pool in his stomach. He couldn’t have Jaebum disappear as he had those years ago.

“Not by the moon. It changes and disappears from the sky on some nights— swear by me.”

Jaebum’s eyes widened. “You?”

“I’ll be waiting for you. That won’t change. I know it won’t. And you wouldn’t have been watching me all these years if you didn’t care. On some level… about me. So yes, swear by me.”

Jaebum’s cheeks began to turn pink as he chuckled.

“Your confidence in yourself is one thing that makes you a force to be reckoned with, Park Jinyoung.”

The human was about to retaliate, but the spirit knelt down in front of him holding onto his hand.

Jaebum places a chaste kiss on Jinyoung’s ring finger, and the simple action causes his ears and cheeks to burn.

“I swear by you.” 

* * *

Jinyoung’s eyes fluttered open, heart beating as hard as it did when he saw Jaebum months ago.

“Jinyoung…” Yugyeom was the first to speak, he and Chan had tracked them into the woods, despite Jinyoung instructing them not to. In case the worst happened. But seeing as how his brothers are able to see him…

“Jaebum, it worked!” He whispered, turning to the spirit, who stared at him in awe.

“... Nyeongie… You’re...You’re a moon spirit…” Jaebum says breathlessly, reaching out to touch him. Jinyoung immediately took his hand, interlacing their fingers, and it feels like they have become two halves of a whole. Jaebum’s other hand brushed Jinyoung’s pale cheeks and ran his fingers through his newly jet black hair. “Your eyes are grey...almost white…”

“And you’re pasty as hell!” Yugyeom shouts before getting head locked by Chan.

“You ruined the moment you idiot!” Chan barks, harshly rubbing his fist on his brother’s head as Yugyeom whined.

Jinyoung couldn’t help but throw his head back in laughter, leaning onto Jaebum, feeling truly at peace. The relief was so strong he was nearly floating off the ground. He finally feels free, in a way he hadn’t felt since a child. Jaebum will now never be alone again, as he had for years.

“I guess I did swear by the moon.” Jaebum whispered into his ear. 

**Author's Note:**

> SO jaebum's lines of "my name losing meaning" thats a ref to call my name lolol  
> and "swear not by the moon" is clearly a ref to not by the moon aasfeghtg  
> Jaebum and jinyoung dancing at the festival is ref to meeting at their auditions when they were 15, and jaebum started using his power to spoil jinyoung around the age of 20 (got7's debut) lol.
> 
> Also Moon sorta controls the water and tides right? so basically i had jinyoung be a moon spirit because 1) he felt most at ease at night and helped others fall asleep. and 2) to emphasize how whipped JB is.
> 
> my brain is super dead right now im so sorry.


End file.
